Early Offense Boosts Chiefs Past Kernels

Cedar Rapids, IA- The Chiefs did their damage early and rode the bullpen to a 6-4 win over Cedar Rapids on Wednesday afternoon. With the win, the Chiefs evened the series. Both clubs now have identical 19-16 records on the year.

Peoria went down without a hit in the opening innings but scored five times over the next two frames. In the top of the second, Jimmy Crooks led off the frame with a solo homer, his first career High-A blast. Jeremy Rivas, who reached base four times Wednesday, singled to follow. A Brody Moore single later placed runners on the corners with two outs in the inning. Following a 1-1 pitch, Moore took off for second in an attempt to steal the bag. Upon the throw to second, Rivas sprinted home from third and beat the return throw to give Peoria a 2-0 lead.

In the third, the bats added on three more Peoria tallies. After a single and an error, it was Crooks who again delivered the big blow. The Chiefs catcher tripled over the head of Kernels center fielder Misael Urbina to score two more Peoria runs. Three pitches later, Rivas singled home Crooks to push the lead to 5-0.

Peoria starter Trent Baker absolutely cruised through the Kernels order. With two outs in the third, he whiffed Charles Mack to end the frame. Upon delivering the pitch, Baker appeared to injure his right leg and went down to the ground. He was assisted off the field by Peoria Athletic Trainer Paden Eveland and did not return. Baker did not allow a baserunner over three innings.

Edgar Manzo took the perfect game into the fifth before running into trouble. Cedar Rapids pieced together three straight doubles to cut the deficit to 5-2. Later in the inning, Kyler Fedko lifted a two-run homer to left to make it a 5-4 ballgame.

From there, the Kernels would get no closer. Leonardo Taveras entered with the go-ahead run on base in the bottom of the sixth but worked out of the jam with a strikeout and a flyout. Taveras punched out the side in the seventh and departed in the eighth. He allowed just one hit over two innings while punching out five Kernels hitters.

The Peoria offense tacked on a key insurance run in the top of the eighth. With Rivas at second, Moore delivered his second hit of the day, this time an RBI double, to give the Chiefs a 6-4 cushion. Moore has driven in runs in consecutive contests for the first time since joining the team last week.

The two-run lead was more than enough for Matt Hickey. The sidearm right-hander recorded the final five outs of the game and recorded his fourth save of the season.

The series continues Thursday from Cedar Rapids. Tink Hence will start for Peoria as he makes his second appearance since returning from the IL. First pitch is slated for 6:35 p.m. from PG Cares Field.